Power is generated, transmitted, and distributed to a plurality of endpoints, such as for example, customer or consumer premises (hereinafter referred to as “consumer premises”). Consumer premises may include multiple-family residences (e.g., apartment buildings, retirement homes), single-family residences, office buildings, event complexes (e.g., coliseums or multi-purpose indoor arenas, hotels, sports complexes), shopping complexes, or any other type of building or area to which power is delivered.
The power delivered to the consumer premises is typically generated at a power station. A power station is any type of facility that generates power by converting mechanical power of a generator into electrical power. Energy to operate the generator may be derived from a number of different types of energy sources, including fossil fuels (e.g., coal, oil, natural gas), nuclear, solar, wind, wave, or hydroelectric. Further, the power station typically generates alternating current (AC) power.
The AC power generated at the power station is typically increased (the voltage is “stepped up”) and transmitted via transmission lines typically to one or more transmission substations. The transmission substations are interconnected with a plurality of distribution substations to which the transmission substations transmit the AC power. The distribution substations typically decrease the voltage of the AC power received (the voltage is “stepped down”) and transmit the reduced voltage AC power to distribution transformers that are electrically connected to a plurality of consumer premises. Thus, the reduced voltage AC power is delivered to a plurality of consumer premises. Such a web or network of interconnected power components, transmission lines, and distribution lines is often times referred to as a power grid.
Throughout the power grid, measureable power is generated, transmitted, and distributed. In this regard, at particular midpoints or endpoints throughout the grid, measurements of power received and/or distributed may indicate information related to the power grid. Notably, sometimes power monitoring systems are coupled to transformers throughout the grid. These systems measure current and voltage related to power usage of the transformer to which the associated system is coupled. Due to the fact that the transformers are being monitored at remote locations within the grid, the systems sometimes get damaged, e.g., by weather conditions or may experience vandalism, or theft of the meter.